Circular weaving machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention is devoted to devising a circular weaving loom in which the conventional shedding mechanism and shuttle circulating within the shed are unnecessary.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,709,262 Braunschweiler 14 1 Jan. 9, 1973 l CIRCULAR WEAVING MACHINE I wi i e [75] Inventor: tlzglhaufgtrzgzelirraalngschweller, Win- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,311 5/1924 Stuer ..l39/l4 [73] Assgnee' 23"" Brugg 3,056,430 /1962 McGinley ..139/12 [22] Filed: March 8, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [2]] A 121,743 2,009,039 1/1970 France ..l39/ll Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon F A orelgn ppllcatlon Priority Data Atmmey Donald D. Demon March 10, 1970 Switzerland ..35l0/70 57 AB TRA T [52] US. Cl ..l39/l4 I s C s 1 1m. 01. .0030 37/00 The Present invention is devoted to devising a circular [581 Field 61 Search ..139/11, 1,15 weaving 100m in which the conventional shedding mechanism and shuttle circulating within the shed are unnecessary.

9 Claims, 25 Drawing Figures i; J a 25 CIRCULAR WEAVING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The principal of continuous weaving is already fairly old and the idea of a weaving loom with shuttles moving in a circle led to designs as far back as the end of the nineteenth century which may be described as circular weaving looms.

The level of technology applicable even today in the field of circular weaving looms and their forms of construction are summarized, for example, in the essay of Dipl. lng. .I. Schneider: Der Rundwebstuhl in Textilbericht 39 (1958) pp. 26-33.

A factor common to all the designs hitherto known is that the warp, drawn from one or more warp beams, is lead into a form in the shape of a pipe or a group of convergent rays. The warp yarns are led through the healds of a shedding mechanism capable of being pushed to and fro in a transverse direction in relation to the warp tube. The continuously and progressively undulating shed thus formed reaches, in the case of some types of machines presently known, around the entire warp tube, or alternatively, they move around only a segment of its circumference. In either case, however, a shuttle moving in a circular direction is located in the shed and trails a weft yarn beyond it. Beating up of the weft threads after introduction is carried out either by a rocking reed arranged to follow the path of the shuttle (Wassermann type circular weaving machine) or by individual reed teeth which, by reaching between the warp yarns and pursuing the shuttle, move the weft threads after introduction towards the fell of the cloth.

In another type of circular weaving machine already known, the warp from four or more warp beams arranged in polygonic form are drawn first inwards and over a circular idler wheel so that the warp yarns form a bundle of rays aligned upon a common center and located basically in a single plane. In this phase a heald blade is provided for each warp yarn and the entirety of these blades form a shape roughly corresponding to a cylinder. In such machines, the controlled upward and downward movements of the heald blades again produce a shed within which a shuttle circulates. At the same time, the drive to the shuttle is controlled by movements of the specially shaped heald blades which drive the specially shaped shuttle ahead of them. In this case beating up is effected principally by bevelled surfaces on individual teeth, these teeth being mounted on right-angled elbow-shaped prolongations of the heald blades. In such machines, again, a true shedding mechanism, shuttles and the associated control mechanisms are present.

Apart from the comparatively high constructional costs demanded by the circular weaving looms of the types known, one of the main problems relates to the drive of the shuttle, which indeed is constantly located within the circular shed, comparable to a cage. An additional problem is presented by the loading of the shuttle with new stocks of weft thread and the exchanging of empty shuttles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention a proposed circular loom is characterized by the fact that of two magazine devices each emitting a group of warp threads, at least the second is arranged basically along an enclosed curve and following the first magazine device as seen from the direction of travel of the warp threads and is provided with individual magazine elements separated from one another, between which warp threads from the first magazine device are capable of being led, power driven devices circulating parallel to the self closing curve to introduce the weft threads between the two magazine devices alternately from each of the two sides and past the second magazine device in the direction of warp travel.

For the purpose of simplifying comprension and purely by way of example, the invention is illustrated below by means of drawings which show the following:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1-3 show diagrammatically, the principle of conventional weaving as also utilized by the circular weaving looms already known, looking in the direction of the weft threads.

FIGS. 4-6 show a similar method of illustration as in FIGS. 1-3, of the principle of weaving as carried out in the present weaving machine,

FIGS. 7-9 are plan views of the layouts shown in FIGS. 4-6 and illustrating in one sector each, one simple form of execution of the proposed weaving machine,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a circular weaving machine, omitting all supporting and driving elements,

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatical cross-section through the fabric produced on the circular weaving loom looking in the direction of travel of the warp thread,

FIG. 12 is a plan view of one form of execution in which 10 weft threads are introduced at every rotation,

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatical section in radial direction through a form of execution similar to FIG. 12, with a beating-up mechanism,

FIGS. l4A-F show sections transverse to the direction of the weft threads during various phases of the introduction of weft threads, with the object of illustrating that the warp threads of the first group do not leave the space intervening between the magazine elements of the second group during the introduction of the weft,

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatical section showing a form in which the warp threads first run centripetally, i.e. from the outside inwards, and are only diverted around an idler wheel to form a fabric tube after the introduction of the weft thread,

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatical plan view of a modification similar to FIG. 15, which illustrates clearly the concentration of the warp,

FIG. 17 is a design variant of FIG. 16 with a tension equalizing device for the first group of warp threads,

FIG. 18 is a view showing a form approximately corresponding to FIG. 15, in which the fabric tube formed is pressed to make a flat tube and subsequently wound on to a material beam,

FIG. 19 shows diagrammatically a part view of one form of the proposed circular weaving machine with reciprocally driven carriers, and

FIG. 20 illustrats the shape of the carriers envisaged for the form of the invention shown in FIG. 19.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a matter of common knowledge, and as is shown in FIGS. 1-3, in conventional weaving machines a group 1 of warp threads is set up and is led through a diagrammatically indicated mechanism 2 (lease rods, distributed rods and warp thread monitors or detectors) and then through a shed mechanism 3 (heald frames) with healds 4 and 5. When the healds 4 and 5 are set in reciprocal motion, the warp threads are separated and form a shed 6 into which one weft thread 7 at a time is shot (FIG. 2) after which, and after changing shed (FIG. 3), the next following weft thread 8 is intrduced. In this manner, a fabric 9 is produced as illustrated in FIGS. l3.

The processes which take place in the circular weaving machine now to be described represent a departure from the foregoing. FIGS. 4-6 are intended to illustrate these differences. The number 10 represents as seen from the side, a first group of warp threads designated 13, drawn out of a magazine device not shown in detail (for example, one or more beams or individual bobbins) in the direction of the arrow 11, are then led over a distribution rod 12 and subsequently run downwards. Following the distribution rod 12, a set of separate magazine elements 14 is provided, only one of which is visible in FIGS. 4-6 at a time, and each of these emits a warp thread 15. The layout is such that one of the warp threads 13 leads through between one pair of adjacent magazine elements 14 in each case.

It should be noted at this point that the representation in FIGS. 4-6 has been simplified to the extent that the self-contained curve along which the individual magazine elements l4 for the warp threads 15 are arranged in the circular weaving machine in accordance with the invention has been stretched so as to look like a straight line.

On each side of the first group of warp threads 10 is one diagrammatically indicated, power driven mounting 16 and 17, respectively, for weft thread bobbins l8 and 19, respectively, the said mountings l6 and 17 and their associated weft thread bobbins 18 and 19 being driven parallel to the direction of run of the set of magazine elements 14, i.e. in the present case at right angles to the plane of the drawing.

Within the range of the weft thread bobbin 18, a thread guide 20 for the threads from the bobbin 18 is provided and reaches helically from the left hand side, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, of the warp thread group 10 over the set of magazine elements 14, embraces the said set and reaches approximately down to the lowest point, at which the threads from the bobbin 18 are released. By reason of the method of illustration selected, the course of the thread guide 20 around the magazine elements 14, which, three dimensionally, is actually helical, appears to be circular. A thread guide 21 also runs from the bobbin 19 on its mounting 17, and its course is similar but opposite to that of the thread guide 20. In other words, the thread guide 21 runs from the right hand side of the warp thread group 10 obliquely over the magazine elements 14 and subsequently helically around the latter on the left hand side to end roughly at the lowest point of the magazine elements where the threads taken from the bobbin 19 are released.

If the mounting 16 with its bobbin 18 and thread guide 20 are now moved jointly with the mounting l7, bobbin 19 and thread guide 21 by relation to the set of magazine elements 14, i.e. in FIGS. 5 and 6 away from the viewer, it will readily be seen that the thread guide 21, FIG. 6, as it moves, forces the threads 13 from the group 10 increasingly toward the left in the form of a shed by reason of its helical shape, so that directly below the set of magazine elements 14 a space 22 comparable to a conventional shed is formed, where the thread guide 21 deposits its threads drawn from bobbin 19 as weft thread 23.

The thread guide 20 has the similar but opposite effect as shown in FIG. 6, i.e. it forces the warp threads 13 from the group 10 towards the right, as a result of which there is now formed on the other side of the warp threads 15 a space 22 in which the threads from bobbin 18 are deposited as weft threads.

It will be clear that these processes take place one after the other, or in other words, that the thread guides 20 and 21 are arranged so as to be staggered in the direction of sight of the viewer and that, for example, that the particular individual of the magazine elements 14 under which the end of one thread guide just passes is passing along the beginning of the other thread guide.

FIGS. 7-9 then show in a top view, i.e. in the direction of the warp threads 13, that which is shown in FIGS. 4-6 in the direction of the weft threads 23, 24, though the set of magazine elements 14 is no longer arranged along a straight line but, as in reality, along a circle.

In these FIGS. 7-9, the larger points represent the threads 13 of the first group and the magazine elements 14 between which the threads 13 run. The warp threads 15 of the second group (from the magazine elements 14) are shown by smaller points. Within the torusshaped form produced by the entirety of the magazine elements 14 can be seen the mounting l6, and outside it the mounting 17, the two being driven by a driving mechanism (not shown in detail) in the direction of the arrow 25.

In FIG. 8, it may clearly be seen how the thread guide 21 as it passes by the immobile magazine elements 14, forces the opened-up warp threads 13 increasingly inwards (corresponding to the position as illustrated in FIG. 5), while at the bottom of FIG. 8 the thread guide 20 coming from inside, forces the threads 13 outwards,

approximately in accordance with the situation shown.

in FIG. 6.

and 17 are not in the present example fitted only with one weft thread bobbin 18 or 19, respectively, but by preference in each case with an entire set of bobbins distributed evenly around the circumference as indicated in FIG. 9 at 18' and 18" or 19' and 19" respectively. From each of these weft thread bobbins there proceeds a helical thread guide 20', 21', 20", 21" encompassing some of the magazine elements 14, so that alternately one thread guide encompasses the magazine elements from the outside inwards, the next from the inside outwards. The staggering of the weft thread spools by relation to the outer weft thread spools is preferably selected to be as small as possible, with the result that each of the magazine elements 14 is encompassed at any given time by more than one of the thread guides, so that no special bearing system for the magazine elements is necessary, since each of these magazine elements 14 is thus constantly held at two or three points of its circumference by the thread guides as they pass it by. The magazine elements 14 are largely inhibited from turning with the mountings 16 and 17 by the fact that one or more of the warp threads 13 passes between each pair of adjoining magazine elements, all of which are under a certain tension derived from the pull-off of the material on the one hand and from the warp brake on the other. In addition, the magazine elements 14 may be suspended on bearings, and a further reference to this point will be made at the close of the present description.

FIG. illustrates in diagrammatic perspective that which has been described by means of FIGS. 5, 6 and 8. It can be seen that the warp thread group 10 consisting of a large number of threads 13, are drawn from a warp magazine or beam and is led over the annular distribution rod 12 and downwards between two of the magazine elements 14 in the case of each thread. The inner mounting 16 with one weft thread bobbin 18 and its associated thread guide 20 and the exterior mounting 17 with one weft. thread bobbin 19 and its associated thread guide 21 can also be seen.

It will be obvious that the entirety of the magazine elements form a torus, only a small portion of which is visible in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 shows particularly clearly how the thread guide 20 proceeding from the inner mounting and turning in the direction of the arrow 25 reaches helically around the magazine elements 14, leads down on the outer side thereof and releases the second group of weft threads 24 in the area of the exit point of the warp threads 15. Similarly the thread guide 21 coming from the bobbin 19 leads from the outside over the magazine elements 14 and then around these on the inside, once again releasing the thread 23 it takes with it in the area of the point of exit of the warp threads from the magazine elements 14.

FIG. 11 shows a section through a fabric such as is produced on the circular loom described. In this FIG. 11 and reading from left to right may be discerned the alternating layout of the warp threads 13 and 15, the thread guides and 21 which pass by the warp threads 13 in turn and thereby force them aside and the weft threads 24 and 23 inserted by these thread guides. This FIG. 11 also shows that in the fabric that is produced on the loom described, that there is no production of a beaten-up fell in the conventional sense but that after each weft thread, has been inserted, the next weft thread follows after a few warp threads have been passed.

It follows from this that the course of the weft threads as the fabric tube comes into being is comparable with a multi-pitch, endless screw thread, the number of turns corresponding to the total number of thread guides or weft thread bobbins.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate variations of the invention in simplified elevation and part section respectively, in this case the inner weft thread bobbins being arranged centrally. FIG. 12 again shows the annular arrangement of the magazine elements 14, an arrangement which is encompassed by the rotating mounting 17 with five weft thread bobbins l9. Centrally in the interior of the annular arrangement is a set of weft thread spools 118 arranged one above the other. A thread guide leads from each of the weft thread bobbins 118. Five thread guides 120 are provided, leading first radially away from the bobbins 118 and then helically encompassing the magazine elements following the direction of rotation, subsequently leading around the outside of the said elements and finally reaching under the magazine elements 14 from the outside. One of the thread guides 21 runs between each of the thread guides 120, similarly but in the opposite direction.

FIG. 13 shows further construction of the form shown in FIG. 12, but with only four inner and four outer thread guides. The magazine elements 14 can be seen with the thread guides 120 and the threads guides 21 leading around them from the inside and the outside, respectively. The four weft thread bobbins 118 are mounted on a rotating mounting 116 which in turn bears the radially protruding thread guides 120. The mounting 116 forms the hub of a hollow shaft 26 which is rotated under power and through which an immobile heald frame leads. At the lower end of the rotating hollow shaft 26 a flange 31 is fitted to take one or more elbow-shaped brackets 32, 33. At the free end of the bent-over portion 33 of this bracket a wheel 34 is rotatably mounted at 35 and forms a part of a reed mechanism. The other portion of this reed mechanism is fixed to the heald frame 27 and has a reed tooth holder 28 with a circumference on which are mounted to articulate and capable of being spread by the effect of a reactive force, a number of reed teeth 29 approximately corresponding to the total number of magazine elements 14. If the wheel 34 now touches the set of reed teeth, those of the latter in the area of the wheel 34 undergo displacement in the direction of the arrow 36. As a result of this, the free point of the displaced reed tooth 29 is caused to reach between the warp threads 15 and to displace the weft thread it picks up in the direction of pull-off, i.e. to beat it up. To the extent that a reed beat-up mechanism is necessary at all, for example, to meet the demand for a maximum density of weft threads, either a single rotating wheel 34 or a number of such may be provided. In the example in accordance with FIG. 12, a maximum of 10 would be possible, while in that of FIG. 13 a maximum of eight wheels 34 would be possible, these being arranged in each case directly following the run-out point of one of the thread guides. It will be seen from FIGS. 14A- F that although sections of the warp thread 13 of the first group are continuously forced up to and beyond the innermost or outermost edge of the magazine elements 14, the layout of the thread guides can be selected in such manner that other sections of the warp threads are constantly and unavoidably retained and guided between the magazine elements 14. Accordingly, the problem of reintroducing thewarp threads between the magazine elements 14 does not arise.

In FIGS. 14A- F, illustration is made in each case of the course of the warp threads 13 located in various positions relative to the thread guides 21 and 120, respectively. These relative positions are shown in FIG. 12 by the line A-F and extend over roughly over onefifth of the circumference of the loom (in FIG. 12 five pairs of thread guides are provided). In the remaining four-fifths of the circumference, the course of the warp threads 13 between the magazine elements is again the same in each case, i.e. following FIG. 14F, a course corresponding to FIG. 14A recommences.

Over and above this, FIGS. 14A- F show that the free lengths of warp threads 13 between the distribution rod 12 and the edge of the material remains practically constant, irrespective of the position at any given time of the thread guides 21, 120 and 21', 120. In FIG. 14A, the thread guide 120 has forced the warp thread 13 to its extreme outer position, while the next following thread guide 21, coming from the outside, is already beginning to force the warp thread 13 at a higher point back inwards again. In FIG. 148, the two thread guides have reached a position roughly diammetrically opposite to one another in relation to the center of the magazine element l4, as a result of which the warp thread 13 assumes a diametrical course. In FIG. 14C, the thread guide 120 has reached the lowest position of the magazine element, while the next following thread guide 21 is approaching the innermost point, the arrow 120' indicating that the following thread guide is in the process of approaching the warp thread 13 from the inside. In FIG. 14D, the warp thread 13 takes a roughly mirror-image course to that in FIG. 14A, in FIG. 14E a mirror-image course to that in FIG. 14B and in FIG. 14F a mirror-image course to that in FIG. 14C.

FIG. 15 shows a form of the circular loom with a centripetal warp course. It is possible to see the torusshaped arrangement of the magazine elements 14 which dispense their warp threads 15 towards the center of the torus. Around the outside of this torusshaped array an annular distribution rod 12 is arranged to lead the warp threads 13 of the first group centripetally inwards and between adjoining distribution elements. In this example the mountings l6 and 17 are of annular shape, one of these mountings being above and the other below the torus-shaped array of magazine elements. This arrangement is particularly favorable for driving and suspending the mountings.

The mounting 16 again bears a set of weft thread bobbins 18, only the extreme left hand one of which is illustrated. From each of the weft thread bobbins 18 runs a thread guide 20 which reaches helically through under the magazine elements and leads into the erea of a ring 37, the function of which may be compared approximately to that of the breast beam of a conventional weaving machine, i.e. about which the completed circular woven fabric is drawn downwards while increasing warp thread density as illustrated.

The lower mounting 17 also bears a set of weft thread bobbins 19, only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 15. A thread guide 21 runs from each weft thread bobbin 19 and reaches around the outside and the top of the magazine elements 14 and subsequently also releases the weft thread 23 in the area of the ring 37.

The method of operation of the form of the invention shown in FIG. is largely similar to that of the form in accordance with FIGS. 4- 10. By reason of the centripetal path of the first group of warp threads 10, i.e. radially toward the center of the torus-shaped annulus formed by the totality of the magazine elements, its individual threads 13 are forced by the turning motion of the mountings l6 and 17 and the thread guides and 21 which turn with them upwards or downwards in relation to the torus-shaped form and not outwards or inwards as in FIGS. 4- 10. At the same time, the radial form of the path of both the warp threads 13 and the warp threads 15 towards the ring 37 produces a considerable increase in warp thread density in the fabric tube G being produced.

This concentration of the warp threads is particularly clearly to be seen from FIGS. 16 and 17. In these FIGS. 16 and 17 can be seen diagrammatically the warp threads 13 of the first which pass between the magazine elements 14 and run towards the ring 37 where they are drawn off over the interior diameter of the latter. Also shown, though only by way of indication, are the mounting 16 for one of the weft thread bobbins with its associated thread guide 20 and the mounting 17 with its associated thread guide 21. In this example of execution, the warp threads 13 of the first group derive from individual bobbins 38, which are arranged, for example, in a two row array on an annular supporting frame 39 which is arranged around the entire array of magazine elements 14. Y

It is preferable for the warp threads 13 to be kept under as constant tension as possible. This means that the free lengths of warp threads 13 between their point of origin and the ring must also be adjusted to conform to the alternating displacement upwards and downwards. In the example illustrated, this requirement is met in such manner, FIG. 17, that the individual warp thread bobbins 38 are held displaceably between inner and outer limiting positions in a groove 41 in the supporting frame 39, a spring mechanism (not illustrated) normally forces the bobbins 38 against the outer limiting position. Each of the mountings for the bobbins 38 is in addition provided with a finger 40 protruding radially outwards as shown in FIG. 17 and in this example of execution, provision is also made for a wheel 42 running synchronously and in the same direction of rotation (arrow 43) with the weft thread mounting around the center of the machine, thecircumference of the said wheel running over the free ends of the fingers 40 and thereby forcing the latter inwards. This provides an assurance that the warp threads 13 can, without drawing more thread from the bobbins 38, be forced by the thread guides 20 or 21 upwards or downwards, respectively, beyond the magazine elements without undergoing any significant increase in tension. It will be obvious that the number of wheels 42 will be the same as the total number of thread guides 20 and 21. Again, the radial displacement of the bobbins 38 may be effected by means of rotating cams or rocker arm controls instead of the wheels 42.

Finally, FIG. 18 shows a further example of the invention which conforms in principle to the examples of FIG. 15 and 16. It is possible to discern the warp thread bobbins 38 arranged on the supporting ring 39 and emitting warp threads 13 which lead through between the magazine elements 14. Also shown are the mountings 16 and 17 with the weft thread bobbins 18 and 19 and the thread guides 20 and 21 leading toward the ring 37. The magazine elements are mounted between two annular half shells S1 and 52 which may be built up from individual magnet segments 55. The magnet segments 55 serve to effect a magnetic suspension of the magazine elements 14 with the object of avoiding their entire weight having to be borne completely by the thread guides 20 and 21. Between the upper half shell 51 and the lower half shell 52 an exterior interstice 53 and an interior interstice 54 are left free and enable the thread guides 20 and 21 to enter and pass out again.

Arranged to follow the ring 37 is a pair of take-up rollers 44 and 45 which press the tube of fabric as it is formed into the shape of a flattened hose and leads it to a pair of combing cylinders 46 and 47 between which the weft threads in the tube of fabric are compressed or urged in the pull-off direction before the circular weave G is roller up onto a conventional material beam 50.

In the form of execution shown in FIG. 19, it is again possible to discern the individual magazine elements 14 for the warp threads of the second group. Whereas in the previous forms the entirety of these magazine elements formed an unbroken entity, in this form of execution they are indeed arranged along a self-contained curve but are distributed in sets, a gap being provided between each successive pair of sets. FIG. 19 shows one group or set 60 of magazine elements 14 and another group or set 61 of magazine elements, with a gap 80 left free between them.

Ahead of each of the sets of magazine elements is a separate magazine device for the warp threads 13 of the first group is provided. In FIG. 19, this magazine device is marked 62 for the set 60 and 63 for the set 61. These magazine devices may be individual bobbins or small warp beams. In this form the reserve of weft thread does not move circularly but is mounted rigidly in the form of the bobbins 64 and 65, which are associated with the sets 60 and 61, respectively and from which one weft thread 66 and 67, respectively, is drawn off in each case.

In order to lead these weft threads alternately from one side and the other up to and past the first warp thread group at the sets of magazine elements concerned in each case, provision is made for power driven carriers, the path of movement of which runs along and around the magazine elements 14. In FIG. 19, a weft thread guide or carrier 68 and a weft thread guide or carrier 69 may be discerned. The carrier 68 is fixed in the interior of the ring formed by the entirety of the magazine elements 14 to a driving element 116, FIG. which may correspond approximately to the support 16 as shown in FIGS. 4-10. This driving element 116 moves the carrier 68 in the direction of the arrow 70. As may be seen from FIGS. 19 and 20, the carrier 68 coming from the driving element 116 encompasses the magazine elements 14 helically and, looked at from the direction of drive, with a following course including some play.

The carrier 69 is fixed on the outer side of the ring formed by the entirety of the magazine elements 14 to a driving element 117 approximately corresponding to the supports 17 in FIGS. 4-10, FIG. 20, and moves in the direction of the arrow 71, or in other words, counter-opposed to the carrier 68. Its shape may be described as follows; starting from the driving element 117. To start with its runs for a short distance in the opposite direction to the movement, then bends away towards the center of the circular weaving machine, reaches under the path of movement of the free end of the carrier 68, FIG. 20, and then reaches helically around the magazine elements 14 in the space left by the aforementioned play between the carrier 68 and the magazine elements 14, ending at the lower area of the magazine elements on the side facing the machine center.

When this form of the loom operates, the following processes can be observed. To start with, the carrier 68 forces the warp threads of the first group outwards and at the same time carries with it the weft thread 66 which, as it is held firmly by the fabric, is drawn off the bobbin. In this process, it slips in the direction of the arrow 78 along the inner side of a specially shaped guide rail 72 which encloses the warp thread magazine 62. As soon as the carrier 68 is past the set 60, i.e. when it is in the gap 80, the weft thread 66 slips out of the carrier 68, being at the same time lifted over the brow 76 of the guide rail 72.

In the gap 80, the carriers 68 and 69 cross. At this crossing point, no warp threads may be present because they would be sheared off by the carriers as they crossed. Following this, the carrier 69 comes into the area of the set and a similar but opposite process now takes place along the set 60, as shown on the right hand side of FIG. 19. The weft thread 67 slips along the rail 73 on the side visible in FIG. 19 and in the direction of the arrow 79 until it is lifted over the brow 75 of the rail. At the same time, the weft thread 67 is carried along by the carrier on the side of the set 61 away from the viewer, the carrier at the same time forcing the warp threads 13 towards the side of the magazine elements away from the viewer.

As the sets 60 and 61 are constantly and alternatingly touched by one carrier in one direction and by the other carrier in the other direction, the weft thread associated with the section concerned is constantly moved backwards and forewards and slips out of the carrier when this leaves the relevant section. By reason of the special shaping of the guide rails 72 and 73, the weft thread in each case therefore immediately changes over to the other side of the warp thread magazines and is immediately picked up by the other carrier as it approaches from the other direction.

It will be clearly seen from the foregoing that the fabric comes into being in a number of webs equal to the number of gaps between the sets of magazine elements 14. At the same time, each web of fabric, as shown in FIG. 19, will have a selvage of the same structure as a woven fabric produced on a conventional flat weaving loom.

According to what is described up to this point, only fabrics in plain weave can be produced. It will, however, be obvious that other weave patterns can be produced on the circular loom described. The determinative factor for the weave pattern to be produced is the sequence of the warp threads of the second group and the sequence of the carriers or thread guides successively coming into operation.

In regard to the suspension of the individual magazine elements 14, reference is made to U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 68,678/70, the property of applicant, not forming part of existing technical knowledge, which describes a flat weaving machine operating on a similar principle.

This discosure of a preferred embodiment and modifications of the invention is to be interpreted as illustrative of forms the invention may take and other modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is not to be restricted except by the scope of the appended claims wherein the novel features desired to be protected by Letters Patent are set forth.

lclaim:

l. A circular weaving machine characterized in that first and second magazine devices are provided, each emitting a group of warp threads, at least the second of said magazine devices being arranged basically along a self-contained curve and following the first magazine device looked at in the direction of run of the warp threads and that it is fitted with individually separated magazine elements between which warp threads from the first magazine device are capable of being led, power driven circularly moving means being provided parallel to the self-contained curve to lead weft threads between the two magazine devices and up to the first group of warp threads from the one and the other side alternately and to move them past the second magazine device in the direction of run of the warp, said power driven, circularly moving means comprising thread guides which helically encompass a number of the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group.

2. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein successive thread guides are curved helically in the opposite direction to that of their own rotation.

3. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein each of the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group, irrespective of its position relative to the thread guides, is constantly within the reach of two or more successive thread guides.

4. A circular weaving machine as in claim 3, wherein all the thread guides are driven in the same direction.

5. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group are arranged along a circle, while the magazine device for the warp threads of the second group is arranged around a circle.

6. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group are arranged along a circle, while the warp threads of the second group form a rotation surface, the basic line of which is a circle.

7. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein each thread guide is associated with a weft thread magazine.

8. A circular weaving machine characterizedin that first and second magazine devices are provided, each emitting a group of warp threads, at least the second of said magazine devices being arranged basically along a self-contained curve and following the first magazine device looked at in the direction of run of the warp threads and that it is fitted with individually separated magazine elements between which warp threads from the first magazine device are capable of being led, power driven circularly moving means being provided parallel to the self-contained curve to lead weft threads between the two magazine devices and up to the first group of warp threads from the one and the other side alternately and to move them past the second magazine device in the direction of run of the warp, the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group being arranged along a circle, while the magazine device for the warp threads of the first group is arranged around a circle, t e magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group of warp threads being arranged in individual and similar groups that are separated from one another by gaps so as to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction along the circle, each such group of magazine elements being preceded by a separate magazine for the warp threads of the first group of warp threads, a maximum of as many thread guides being provided as there are gaps between the groups of magazine elements, and half of such thread guides being adapted to be driven in the opposite direction to the other half thereof.

9. A circular weaving machine as in claim 8 wherein each thread guide is associated with a weft thread magazine. 

1. A circular weaving machine characterized in that first and second magazine devices are provided, each emitting a group of warp threads, at least the second of said magazine devices being arranged basically along a self-contained curve and following the first magazine device looked at in the direction of run of the warp threads and that it is fitted with individually separated magazine elements between which warp threads from the first magazine device are capable of being led, power driven circularly moving means being provided parallel to the self-contained curve to lead weft threads between the two magazine devices and up to the first group of warp threads from the one and the other side alternately and to move them past the second magazine device in the direction of run of the warp, said power driven, circularly moving means comprising thread guides which helically encompass a number of the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group.
 2. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein successive thread guides are curved helically in the opposite direction to that of their own rotation.
 3. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein each of the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group, irrespective of its position relative to the thread guides, is constantly within the reach of two or more successive thread guides.
 4. A circular weaving machine as in claim 3, wherein all the thread guides are driven in the same direction.
 5. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group are arranged along a circle, while the magazine device for the warp threads of the second group is arranged around a circle.
 6. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein the magazine eleMents for the warp threads of the second group are arranged along a circle, while the warp threads of the second group form a rotation surface, the basic line of which is a circle.
 7. A circular weaving machine as in claim 1, wherein each thread guide is associated with a weft thread magazine.
 8. A circular weaving machine characterized in that first and second magazine devices are provided, each emitting a group of warp threads, at least the second of said magazine devices being arranged basically along a self-contained curve and following the first magazine device looked at in the direction of run of the warp threads and that it is fitted with individually separated magazine elements between which warp threads from the first magazine device are capable of being led, power driven circularly moving means being provided parallel to the self-contained curve to lead weft threads between the two magazine devices and up to the first group of warp threads from the one and the other side alternately and to move them past the second magazine device in the direction of run of the warp, the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group being arranged along a circle, while the magazine device for the warp threads of the first group is arranged around a circle, the magazine elements for the warp threads of the second group of warp threads being arranged in individual and similar groups that are separated from one another by gaps so as to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction along the circle, each such group of magazine elements being preceded by a separate magazine for the warp threads of the first group of warp threads, a maximum of as many thread guides being provided as there are gaps between the groups of magazine elements, and half of such thread guides being adapted to be driven in the opposite direction to the other half thereof.
 9. A circular weaving machine as in claim 8 wherein each thread guide is associated with a weft thread magazine. 